A New Ship for 'Atlantska plovidba'

A multipurpose coaster ship for container, dry and general cargo transport, in the value of EUR 5.05 million and with 1650 tons deadweight, ordered by the 'Atlantska plovidba' from Dubrovnik, was launched today at the shipyard 'Kraljevica’.

The ship’s construction was co-financed with 10% of the total amount by the Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development in accordance with the Program for the construction of vessels assigned for domestic ship operators in Croatian ship yards. The ceremony was attended by Captain Mario Babić, Assistant Minister for Maritime Traffic, Maritime Domain and Ports.

The vessel named 'Mokošica' has following characteristics: length overall 67.1 meters, 102 containers loading capacity and speed of up to 10.4 NM; it has to be delivered by May, 2006.

Today's launched ship is the first of four ships with the same characteristics which will be constructed in the shipyard 'Kraljevica' for the 'Atlantska plovidba'. After this launching the guests attended the second new building keel laying.

According to Ante Jerković, President of the 'Atlantska plovidba', the company recently marked its 50th Anniversary. The company will invest in the reconstruction of its fleet and the building of ten new ships, approximately $ 310 million, Jerković explained, adding that the 'Mokošica' was his company's first newbuilding after eight years.

Currently the 'Atlantska plovidba' is building several new ships for dry cargo transport in shipyards of the Far East, because Croatian shipyards are not interested in building ships of such a simple technology.

Vladimir Vranković, State Secretary for Economics said that this kind of attitude coming from the Croatian shipyards was identical to the thinking of the EU, because the building of more sophisticated vessels was by far more profitable.

Ivica Šegulja, President of the shipyard 'Kraljevica' said that his shipyard had registered for this year the laying of four new building keels, the launch and handover of three new ships and that estimations were showing that the losses for this year would mount up to HRK 50 million.

Šegulja also said that the project of building domestic ships in domestic shipyards had proven to be a good project showing a synergetic impact on the domestic shipbuilding industry. (Hina) 

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